


New Addition

by Lobotomite



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Background Aaron/Adam, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 08:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16425524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lobotomite/pseuds/Lobotomite
Summary: Matty thought he already loved her as much as was physically possible. It takes meeting her for the first time to realise he had no idea what that really meant





	New Addition

They were prepared for this. They were. It's not like _they're_ the ones doing the hard work, after all; they just need to show up and wait. But God, it's harder to sit here anxiously awaiting news than Matty ever thought it could be.

"No news is good news," he says, for his benefit probably more than for Vic's, and squeezes her shoulder.

"No news is good news," she repeats in agreement, squeezing his knee in return. "It hasn't been very long, really. We've not even been here an hour yet."

"No, you're right," he agrees, though knowing there's no reason to be anxious and not _feeling_ anxious are two very different things. He wants to be pacing, working off his nerves, but just as strongly doesn't want to let go of Vic - and staying near Vic, as always, wins out, so he just lets his head tilt to the side and rests his cheek against the softness of her hair.

"It's just, we don't really know exactly _how_ long it's been, do we." He's doing his best, he really is, but he struggles to reign in his babbling at the best of times - it was inevitable that his nervous stream of thoughts was going to keep falling from his mouth eventually. "I mean, I know she called us while she was waiting for the ambulance, but she's a bit early, isn't she, we weren't expecting it so she might not have _realised_ for a while- and they usually come quicker, early, don't they, she might-"

" _Matty_ ," she scolds, pulling out of his grasp and thwacking him on the knee. "We're all in the best place possible, okay, someone will tell us if anything goes wrong, and by the time they do - if they do - they'll already be fixing it. So just shush and let the people dealing with it, deal with it."

"Right. I know, you're right, I'm sorry," he says, appropriately mollified. "I just - we've waited so long, I just need her to be alright."

"I know, babe," she says, eyes soft as she leans up to press a gentle kiss to his mouth. "So do I. But there's nothing we can do that we haven't already done. We've waited this long, we can wait a few more hours, yeah?"

"Yeah, 'course." He kisses her, this time, pulling her close and pressing their foreheads together. She's blurry, viewed this close through his eyelashes, but she still manages to be the most gorgeous thing he's ever seen. "I love you," he says voice low. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Its a good thing you won't have to find out, then, isn't it," she teases. "I know one thing, you wouldn't be eating nearly as well."

"Getting free restaurant-worthy meals was the main reason I got married to a brilliant chef," he agrees. "Shame I got less of that and more judgemental criticism of my cooking."

"It's not my fault you never season things properly," she protests, pulling away and shaking her head in mock offense. "People would pay good money for the kind of teaching I give you for free, you know." A knock on the door, and they both turn to see a very harried looking Adam peek in and then slip through the door upon seeing them.

"Hey! Everything good?"

"No news is good news," they both say, sharing a smile that Adam ignores.

"Good, good," he says. "Aaron's just finding a park, him an' Joss'll be up soon."

"Oh, you didn't have to wake Jos up, Adam, we would have understood if only one of you could make it," Vic protests, but Adam waves off her concern.

"Nah, it's fine, he barely even noticed us putting him in the car. Once he's asleep you could blow the house up and he'd sleep right through it." He settles easily into one of the seats against the adjacent wall, stretching his legs out and giving them a knowing look. "You both alright?"

"Yeah," Matty says, Vic nodding beside him. "Yeah, it's - a bit nerve-wracking, is all."

"Yeah," Adam says sympathetically. "And she did jump the gun a bit, didn't she? Still, this is the best place for them to be. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Of course they will," Matty says firmly. They have to be. He really could do with having confirmation of that soon, though, because he's not sure how much more waiting he can take.

As it turns out, someone is looking out for him, because Aaron hasn't even made it up to the room before there's a knock on the door, and a nurse peeks her head through. There's a cheerful smile on her face, but that doesn't stop Matty's heart from dropping into his stomach, his mind going immediately to the bad news she could be there to give them.

"Don't worry," she assures them. "I'm here with good news! How would you like to meet your new daughter?" It's only when she steps through that Matty realises she's holding a tiny bundle in her arms.

"That's..." He can't finish the sentence, trailing off as he hears Vic let out a soft little gasp next to him, and then the nurse is right next to him and guiding him into cradling her tiny, tiny head, and absolutely nothing exists apart from her soft weight and bright red face. The nurse is saying something, but now that he's got his daughter in his arms, it's all just meaningless background noise.

The only thing of any importance is her, her bright blue eyes squinting open for a few seconds before squeezing closed again, her pink mouth opening wide in a yawn, her little grasping fingers, surprisingly strong when all five of them curl around just one of his. 

"Welcome to the world, my little Holly Grace Barton," Victoria murmurs in his ear, pulling him back to reality. She's beaming when he turns to look at her, completely ignoring him in favour of gently stroking little Holly's face as she stretches in his arms, and he can hardly blame her. He was just doing the same thing, after all. "Oh, you're perfect," She says, and he has to agree. She has to be the most perfect baby who's ever existed, and that's just an unbiased fact. 

"Does mum want to hold her, before we take her off to finish getting checked out?" The nurse nudges, and Matty reluctantly passes her over into Vic's steady arms. He's loved her since her existence was confirmed, but seeing her, holding her - it's a whole new dimension of feeling. 

Vic clearly feels it, too. He doesn't think he's ever seen such a look of adoration on her face, and seeing her like that sends another burst of affection through him. He wraps an arm around her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," she replies, leaning into him but unable to tear her eyes away from their daughter. He's experiencing the same problem, but they're forced out of their blissful bubble when the nurse diplomatically reminds them the doctors aren't quite done with her yet.

"She'll be tucked up ready for a visit before you know it," she assures them as she steps out the door, and then as quickly as she'd appeared, she's gone.

She's only been in his life for a few minutes, but already she's completely changed it. And he wouldn't go back to the way things were for anything.


End file.
